Kagome's Baby
by Melli
Summary: Insane as this may sound... Kagome is pregnant. But there's a slight problem: She doesn't know who the father is! Neither does the author, actually... o_O *5th CHAPTER IS UP!*
1. Confessing to Mom

A/N: This here is a really strange idea I had the other day. Don't ask me why. I don't know. And if you guys are anything like my friends, let me just tell you this: NO I am NOT pregnant! o_O ANYway, there is sort of a twist to the end… Well, there isn't really an end at all! You'll see after you read. Enjoy. ^_^  
  
1 Rated: PG-13 for adult themes and implied sex. No swearing or lemon-fresh scent, it's just that this is a mature topic.  
  
  
  
"Mama, I'm late…" Kagome blurted out.  
  
For a whole day, the Japanese teenager had been trying to figure out a way to tell her mother. Finally, she decided to quit beating around the bush and just confess everything.  
  
Mrs. Higurashi looked up from chopping vegetables for dinner, confused.  
  
"What do you mean, dear? Late for what?" she asked.  
  
Blushing, Kagome repeated, "I'm late," stressing the last syllable.  
  
After a moment, Mrs. Higurashi's feminine intuition kicked in.  
  
"Oh! Well, honey, don't worry. You're still young, and young ladies' menstrual cycles usually take a while to settle down," she reassured her daughter.  
  
"But, Mom, I've always been really regular. My period has never been this late!" Kagome protested.  
  
"How late, exactly?"  
  
"Umm… Two weeks."  
  
"Oh… Well, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. I mean, it's not like you could be pregnant or anything…" Mrs. Higurashi rationalized, half worried about what her daughter had been doing while gallivanting in feudal Japan with that dog boy.  
  
"Um… See, Mom, that's the thing…" Kagome said softly.  
  
The knife in Mrs. Higurashi's deft hands suddenly veered off course, slicing its user's index finger instead of the designated carrot. Blood oozed from the wound as both Higurashi women gasped and rushed to the sink.  
  
"Mom! Are you okay?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Yes, fine, dear. Would you please fetch me the antiseptic cream and bandages? The cut isn't too deep, I can wrap it up myself," Mrs. Higurashi said, running cold water over her injured finger. Right now, she was just glad to have something to take her mind off the possibilities of what her daughter could have been trying to tell her.  
  
Kagome rushed to the medicine cabinet, retrieved the necessary items, and hurried back to her mom's side.  
  
Together, they cleaned the wound and wrapped crisp, white bandage around the still-bleeding—but just barely—appendage.  
  
Once any sign of danger had passed, the Higurashi women relaxed, leaning against the counter in awkward silence.  
  
After a moment, Kagome ended the stillness.  
  
"Mom—"  
  
"Kagome, are you pregnant?" Mrs. Higurashi broke in.  
  
"Mom, I…"  
  
"Tell me, please. I'm your mother, I have a right to know. You can trust me…"  
  
Kagome looked up at her mother with eyes filled with emotions—fear, confusion, hope, love.  
  
"Answer me honestly. Is it possible—is it even conceivable?—that you could be with child?  
  
Kagome broke their mutual gaze to study the blue and white tile of the kitchen floor.  
  
Quietly, almost inaudibly, she said, "Yes."  
  
At that one word, Mrs. Higurashi's breath caught in her throat. She felt the earth spinning around her. Her knees turned to jell-o, her whole body trembled, and she was thankful to already be leaning against the sturdy granite of the kitchen counter.  
  
"Wh-what? How could this have happened? I knew letting you run around unsupervised with that demon was a bad idea! He's the father, isn't he? Or is it that boy from your school—what's his name? Hojo? Kagome, tell me your baby's father is human!" Mrs. Higurashi moaned, her shock fading away to anger, and then to dread.  
  
"Mom, calm down! Let's go sit down!" Kagome suggested, leading her mother to the couch in the living room. She thanked her lucky stars today was the day Grandpa had chosen to take Sota to the zoo.  
  
They both seated themselves facing each other. Mrs. Higurashi kept one hand over hand over her heart and one hand constantly fanning her face. Kagome nervously played with the yellow fabric of her weekend dress, eyes still glued to the floor, now a traditional Japanese tatami mat.  
  
"Everything. Spill. Now," Mrs. Higurashi ordered, never ceasing the fanning motion nor glaring at the adjacent wall.  
  
"Well, the biggest problem is… I don't know who the father is…" Kagome admitted, bracing herself for her mother's reaction.  
  
"WHAT? What do you mean you don't know who the father is?! Just how many men have you slept with, Kagome?!" Mrs. Higurashi cried, turning her glare on her daughter.  
  
"Um… Two…" Kagome mumbled, blushing ashamedly.  
  
Mrs. Higurashi's heart crumbled. Abruptly, her hand stopped moving and her eyes shut. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself. There was a moment of silence as Mrs. Higurashi regained her composure.  
  
"Okay," she said, her breath returned. "How did this happen? Tell me everything."  
  
"All right… It all started about a month ago…"  
  
*FLASHBACK*  
  
Kagome tossed and turned. She could never get used to sleeping on the ground, no matter how many times Inu-Yasha refused to pay for a room at the inn.  
  
After a few more sleepless minutes, the miko-reincarnate flung off her sleeping bag, yanked on her shoes, and approached the campsite's fire, leaving Shippo snoring loudly on her pillow.  
  
As she neared the glowing heat, Kagome noticed a hunched silhouette sitting off in the shadows. Upon further investigation, she recognized the figure as a weeping Buddhist monk.  
  
Miroku? Crying? she thought to herself with a start. She halted brusquely, but then resumed her path to her traveling companion.  
  
"Uh… Mi-Miroku-ku?" she stuttered hesitantly.  
  
He looked up, surprised. After seeing Kagome's worried expression, he hurriedly rubbed the tears out of his eyes.  
  
"Oh, Kagome-sama! What are you doing up at this hour of the night? You should be conserving your energy for our journey tomorrow," he advised, trying to get her to forget about what she saw.  
  
"I couldn't sleep," she replied dismissively. "Miroku, are you all right? I saw you crying…"  
  
Kagome closed the distance between them, seating herself next to her friend and the fire.  
  
"It's nothing, don't worry about me, Kagome-sama. You should go back to sleep now," Miroku insisted, avoiding eye contact.  
  
"No, tell me! What's wrong? You know I'm trustworthy," Kagome said, placing her hand on his shoulder.  
  
He looked at her gentle grip, then up at her dark, blue eyes gazing back at him compassionately.  
  
"Well… I was just thinking about my curse… Just feeling sorry for myself. I'm just fine, don't worry about me, Kagome-sama." He tried to smile reassuringly.  
  
"Oh, Miroku! Don't say that! I know this curse on your family weighs heavily on you and things seem a little hopeless now. But everything will be all right. We'll kill Naraku and lift the curse! We will!" Kagome declared confidently.  
  
"I want to believe you, Kagome-sama, but…" He averted his eyes again. "What if we don't? I must have an heir to carry on the legacy, and I haven't yet found a willing mother. And the air void is constantly growing larger. I fear time is running out…"  
  
"Trust me, we'll help you find Naraku and kick his ass. But even if we don't, I'm sure you'll find an amazing woman to bear your child. You just have to be patient," Kagome comforted, tentatively wrapping her arm around his muscular shoulders.  
  
"Oh, but Kagome-sama," he whispered, meeting her eyes again. "I already have found an amazing woman. The problem is, she refuses to bear my child…"  
  
"Miroku…" she breathed, her heart melting.  
  
"Kagome!" he responded, throwing his arms around her slim body and engaging her in a passionate kiss.  
  
*END FLASHBACK*  
  
"So that's how it happened…"  
  
Mrs. Higurashi had mostly recovered and sat quietly on the couch, listening to her daughter's story.  
  
Calmly, she accepted the information and said, "All right. That's one. Who's the other?"  
  
Kagome took a deep breath and began her second tale.  
  
"Two days after my night with Miroku…"  
  
*FLASHBACK*  
  
Kaede's village was holding a fête in honor of the old woman's birthday. The festivities kicked off with a huge feast Friday night and would endure the weekend. Games, dances, meals, and ceremonies were planned to celebrate the elder's 65th birthday.  
  
Luckily, Kagome, Inu-Yasha, Shippo, Miroku, and Sango returned just in time for the commencement.  
  
Friday evening, the entire village gathered to dine together, enjoying both common foodstuffs and delicacies from all over Japan. Kagome and her friends, Inu-Yasha included, took this opportunity to stop thinking about the Shikon no Tama and just have some fun.  
  
Of course, sake was present in abundance. In honor of the occasion, Kagome and Shippo, virtual alcohol virgins, partook in the drinking of the rice wine. After only one serving, the tiny kitsune passed out and had to be taken away by the sober Sango.  
  
The merrymaking and inebriation continued well into the night. One by one, the attendees to the party retreated to their own huts for the night until only the guest of honor, the houshi, the hanyou, and the girl from the future were left.  
  
Fortunately for them, there was also plenty of sake left.  
  
Eventually, Kaede stood up and stretched.  
  
"Well, it's time for me to rest my weary bones now that most of the guests have gone," she explained, yawning.  
  
"Night, Kaede-sama," Miroku mumbled before promptly passing out from drinking too much.  
  
"Good night, Kaede! And happy birthday!" Kagome giggled, more than a little tipsy.  
  
"Yeah, happy birthday, old hag," Inu-Yasha slurred, also quite intoxicated.  
  
Kaede rolled her eye and left the dining tent specially set up for this event.  
  
Now all alone, Kagome and Inu-Yasha continued sipping sake and staring at each other over the rims of their cups.  
  
Finally, not able to take it anymore, Inu-Yasha broke down.  
  
"Kagome…" he growled before throwing himself on her welcoming body.  
  
"Inu-Yasha!" she cried out in response. She found she wasn't able to control her actions in such a state of mind, so Kagome gave in to his feral advances.  
  
*END FLASHBACK*  
  
"I knew it was that dog boy!" Mrs. Higurashi mumbled.  
  
To her daughter, she said, "So you are carrying the child of either a dog demon or a Buddhist monk from feudal Japan?"  
  
"Ummmm… Yeah…" Kagome nodded weakly.  
  
"Oh boy… So what do you want to do?"  
  
She looked up in surprise.  
  
"You mean you're not angry with me?" she asked, wincing.  
  
"Angry? Unspeakably!" Mrs. Higurashi laughed. "But what's done is done. And I think your punishment will bring itself about, whether you choose to keep the baby, give it up for adoption, or have an abortion."  
  
"An… abortion?" Kagome echoed. "I never even considered that…"  
  
"Well, what were you planning on doing, dear? Did you want to keep the baby and become a seventeen-year-old mother? I mean, if that's what you really want, then you know Sota, Grandpa, and I will always support you. But it'll be really difficult…"  
  
"I know, Mom, we learned about that in health class." Kagome sighed. "I guess I just never really thought that far ahead. I was so busy worrying about who the father is and how to tell you that any possible plans for the future never crossed my mind. And now that they have…"  
  
Kagome sighed again and a tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
"I just don't know, Mama!" she sobbed, burying her face in her hands. "What do YOU think I should do?"  
  
"Honey, I can't make this decision for you. It's all up to you," Mrs. Higurashi soothed, hugging her daughter's shoulders.  
  
"But I don't know!" Kagome cried.  
  
"Kagome, honey, look at me," Mrs. Higurashi commanded tenderly, taking her hands in her own.  
  
She gazed up at her mother, eyes still overflowing with tears and various emotions.  
  
"Kagome, do you want to have a baby?"  
  
A/N: OK, now do you see what I mean about no end at all? Yeah, so I'll write a second chapter if I get 15 reviews. Plus, I want you all to vote! You guys hold Kagome's fate in your hands! Who's the father? Miroku? Inu- Yasha? Someone else entirely? Cast your vote by reviewing and soon you'll find out. Remember: 15 reviews! Thankies! ^_^ 


	2. The baby is coming!

Eight months later, a pregnant, now seventeen-year-old Kagome was sitting on the couch doing her homework. Since becoming pregnant, she'd dropped out of high school and begun taking courses through the mail with supplementary lessons from her mother, grandpa, and tutors. This arrangement worked out much better, for a soon-to-be mother doesn't fit in well at high school, and she wasn't there much to begin with.  
  
Her time in feudal Japan was reduced as significantly as the size of her stomach had grown. Now, Kagome hasn't been through the well in almost seven months. Besides, after her pregnancy and the dilemma was made known, things between her, Miroku, and Inu-Yasha had become really… awkward to say the least. (All right, that's the understatement of the year. o_O)  
  
"Argh! Trigonometry is impossible!" Kagome growled, throwing her book and pencil to the other side of the couch.  
  
Suddenly, a sharp pain cut through her abdomen and she felt a great wetness around her seat.  
  
"Mom!" she gasped, grabbing her bulging belly. "Mom! I think… I think my water just broke!"  
  
Wide-eyed, Mrs. Higurashi rushed into the room.  
  
"Oh dear! The baby is coming! I'll go get your overnight bag. Try to make it to the car!" she said, already halfway through the door.  
  
Sota entered the room at that moment and saw his big sister's damp dress. He crinkled his nose.  
  
"Ew, Kagome! I thought you were too old to be having accidents!"  
  
"Sotaaaaa!" she yelled impatiently. "The baby is coming. Help me to the car!"  
  
The young boy nodded in awe and went to her side to support her.  
  
Mrs. Higurashi, followed by Grandpa, ran back into the room with a duffel bag. Grandpa took Kagome's other arm while Mrs. Higurashi went to start up the car.  
  
"Kagome, you're having a baby!" Sota keenly observed, slamming the car door after him.  
  
And that's when the contractions really set in.  
  
"All set?" Mrs. Higurashi checked nervously.  
  
"AAAAAAAAH! I don't care! Just hurry up and get this thing out of me!" Kagome screamed.  
  
A/N: WOW! I would just like to say THANK YOU to all who gave me a review, even if it wasn't a particularly positive one. ^_^ You all had some great ideas and I took all the votes into consideration. But I decided that I just couldn't decide! So I'm going to write several alternative endings, one of which is already written, but not typed yet. Then we'll see what happens from there! ~_^  
  
In response to a few reviews: Hmmm, this fic wasn't supposed to be funny… o_O I guess that means I should stick to humor. Well I'll change the genre anyway.  
  
Yes, I know, Kagome and Miroku probably would never sleep together, and Inu- Yasha might have more restraint, but hey, people! That's why we call this here a fanfic! I see plenty of K/IY and M/S, and I'm personally a fan of both. But I wanted to be more original. So sorry to those of you who found the characters OOC. I'm trying! ^_^  
  
As for the Kouga votes: I'm sorry to say, I have no idea who Kouga is yet. o_O I'm only on the 10th graphic novel and the 22nd episode, so he hasn't made his grand entrance yet!  
  
Um… Okay, thanks again to everyone. I would give all of you personal thank you's but there are too many of you and too few of me. o_O And if you have any more ideas, PLEASE E-mail them to me, and I will write them, k? So see you later! 


	3. First alternate ending

A/N: Here is the first alternate ending to this fic! Let me know what you think of it, and hopefully, the second option will be up soon. I'm almost finished writing it, then I'll get to typing soon. So please review!  
  
The shrill cry of an infant echoed throughout the maternity ward. Kagome, panting and gritting her teeth in pain, marveled at the first sight of her newborn… Well, that's right. She chose not to know the sex…  
  
"Ms. Higurashi, it's a… Actually, I don't know what it is…" the doctor stated confusedly, cutting the umbilical cord. "A boy… with pointy ears and silver hair…"  
  
At that moment, a boy with pointy ears and silver hair burst into the delivery room just in time to view the placenta come out.  
  
"Kagome, I…!"  
  
His face turned green and he ran back out of the room. Now it's Miroku's turn to enter, rushing to the side of the sweaty, out-of-breath Kagome.  
  
"Oh Kagome-sama! It's a boy! And obviously not mine…" he exclaimed, watching the doctor wrap it in a blanket and hand the wailing bundle over to its mother and then leaving.  
  
"No, he's got Inu-Yasha's ears and hair!"  
  
"Yes, he resembles his father…" Miroku sighed, half relieved, half disappointed.  
  
"You know, Miroku, I'm sorta glad he's Inu-Yasha's… I mean, no offense to you, of course! But well… I think I may be in love with Inu- Yasha…" she whispered, reaching for his hand.  
  
"Really? I'm pleased you feel that way, Kagome-sama! You see, as a friend I truly love you, but as anything more…" he trailed off. "Actually, what I mean is, since you've stopped coming to feudal Japan, Sango and I have become really close, and…"  
  
"Ah, I see! I'm so happy for you two! I always knew you were perfect for each other!" Kagome giggled.  
  
Miroku blushed and looked down, still holding Kagome's hand.  
  
"Um, Miroku? How exactly did you get here anyway?" she asked.  
  
"Well, we were just sitting around in Kaede's village because we had no leads on the Shikon no Tama without you. Suddenly Inu-Yasha jumped up and called your name, then ran to the well. I followed him and Inu-Yasha tracked your scent to this building. Who knows how we got through to your time, though. I thought only you and Inu-Yasha could do that…" Miroku explained.  
  
"Oh… Plot hole?" They both shrugged.  
  
"I guess Inu-Yasha couldn't take the sight of blood. Not even to see his own son being born!" Miroku joked.  
  
"Yeah, pathetic, isn't he?"  
  
As they laughed, a green-faced, breathless hanyou poked his head in the door.  
  
"Is it… Is it gone yet?" he rasped.  
  
"Oh, Inu-Yasha! It's all over now. You can come see your adorable little son!" Kagome said, cooing and rocking the child in her arms.  
  
"My… son?" Inu-Yasha echoed, dumbfounded.  
  
"Yes, and he's the cutest little boy in the world, yes he is!" Kagome playfully made faces at her baby and spoke in a silly voice.  
  
Slowly, Inu-Yasha crosses the threshold and approached the bed. Miroku pulled up a chair for the new father and then excused himself from the room.  
  
The rest of the Higurashi family was on their way to visit their sister/daughter/granddaughter and ran into the houshi on their way. With a glance into the hospital room, the family took the hint and went to find vending machines with Miroku.  
  
Inu-Yasha couldn't help but stare at the baby—his tiny little nose, his fluffy dog-like ears, his few wisps of silver hair.  
  
"Can I… hold him?" he asked tentatively.  
  
"Yes, but be very careful. See, put your arm here to support his head like this," Kagome instructed, positioning his appendages to hold the baby.  
  
Just the sight of the child had awed Inu-Yasha, so actually holding the tiny body had an effect ten times that shocking.  
  
"So, Dad," Kagome started, emphasizing the title. "What should we name our son?"  
  
He looked up at her with huge eyes.  
  
"Uhhh… I don't know…" he replied.  
  
"It's got to be something meaningful. Oh! I know!" Kagome cried. "How about—"  
  
Suddenly there was a loud rumbling and the electricity in the hospital went out.  
  
"What's going on? An earthquake?" Kagome shouted over the raucous, groping in the dark for Inu-Yasha and their baby.  
  
"How should I know?" Inu-Yasha shouted back as the baby started sobbing again.  
  
The room door burst open and a panicky Higurashi family plus Miroku buried in, calling out for Kagome.  
  
"Mom! I'm okay! Do you know what's going on?"  
  
but before Mrs. Higurashi could answer, there came a bright flash of lightning and the rumbling stopped.  
  
Sesshoumaru, glowing and floating, appeared in the hospital room with Jaken by his legs.  
  
"Sesshoumaru!" Inu-Yasha growled, handing off the baby to its mother.  
  
"How nice to see you again, brother," the youkai purred, smiling falsely.  
  
"Kagome, who's that?" Mrs. Higurashi asked.  
  
"He's got a big fluffy… thing! Is it your tail?" Sota addressed Sesshoumaru.  
  
"No, you insolent brat! This is not my tail. Now shut up before I kill you," he snarled back.  
  
Frightened, Sota hid behind his mother's skirt.  
  
"Mom, this is Inu-Yasha's half-brother, Sesshoumaru. He's a full youkai and really evil!" Kagome brought her family up to speed.  
  
"Oh, now I see the resemblance—both in appearances and in personality…" Mrs. Higurashi muttered.  
  
Miroku stepped in front of the family, staff held high, ready to protect them. Inu-Yasha placed himself in front of Kagome and the baby. He drew the Tetsusaiga, which turned to its ultimate magical form.  
  
"What do you want, Sesshoumaru? How did you get to this world?" he questioned angrily.  
  
"Don't underestimate Sesshoumaru-sama's power! He's just developed a new time travel spell!" Jaken bragged.  
  
"Okay, that answers my second question, but what about the first?" Inu-Yasha demanded.  
  
"Simple. I've come for my child," he answered.  
  
"Your child?! What makes you think he's yours?!"  
  
"Another simple question. Because he is. I am the father. I made sure my sperm were successful in fertilizing her egg. And I am certain there was no mistake," Sesshoumaru said calmly.  
  
Mrs. Higurashi gasped, Miroku gawked, and Sota and Grandpa looked on in confusion and awe.  
  
"Kagome!" Inu-Yasha called, whirling around to face her. "Do you know anything about this?"  
  
Kagome was speechless. All she could do was stare and stammer.  
  
"I… I… I… No…"  
  
"She wouldn't have any recollection of our tryst," said Sesshoumaru smugly.  
  
"Did you think Sesshoumaru-sama foolish enough to allow her to realize she was carrying her enemy's child? Then she would certainly never go through with it! Idiot, bow down to Sesshoumaru-sama's brilliance!" Jaken scorned.  
  
"What do you mean?" Inu-Yasha turned back to face his brother.  
  
Smiling, Sesshoumaru explained, "During the night, I took your woman while she was sleeping."  
  
"Ohhhh, I thought that was just a dream!" Kagome whined.  
  
Ignoring her, he continued, "I needed an heir and she seemed like the perfect candidate—strong, powerful, intelligent, beautiful. All the qualities of an ideal mother, queen and mate…"  
  
"Mate?!" Kagome repeated. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
Inu-Yasha's face fell with realization. He sheathed his sword and turned to leave.  
  
"Where are you going, Inu-Yasha?! Get back here and explain this!" Kagome yelled.  
  
"There's no reason for me to stay, now that you're his. And the explanation: Youkai mate for life. And he obviously got to you before I did, so… Good bye, Kagome…"  
  
He moved towards the door again.  
  
Kagome gaped at him then back at Sesshoumaru, who was grinning arrogantly, then down at her son, who had finally ceased crying.  
  
"Mate for life?" she whispered.  
  
"Now come with me, my queen. Together we shall rule the demon world. With a supportive wife and a worthy son, it will be nothing for me to take over," Sesshoumaru coaxed, extending his hand towards the fearful girl.  
  
"For… life?" she murmured, glancing again at the retreating shadow of Inu-Yasha in the hospital hall. 


	4. Second alternate ending

A/N: This is the second alternate ending. Special thanks to Lady Pyro for the inspiration here. At the moment, this is all I have written, but hopefully I'll get one or two more versions done soon then you can pick one for me to continue. So reviews are important!  
  
The shrill cry of an infant echoed throughout the maternity ward. Kagome, panting and gritting her teeth in pain, marveled at the first sight of her newborn… Well, that's right. She chose not to know the sex…  
  
"Ms. Higurashi, it's a girl!"  
  
A second cry added its voice to the other's.  
  
"And another girl!"  
  
Kagome threw herself back against the bed, breathing heavily and squeezing her mother's hand tightly.  
  
A moment later, two soft, pink bundles were placed in her arms.  
  
"Congratulations, Ms. Higurashi. You've got twins!" the doctor announced before leaving the room.  
  
"Mama!" Kagome gasped, looking up at Mrs. Higurashi. "I'm a mama!"  
  
* * *  
  
"Ohhh, Shiraga-chan, Sora-chan! Today is a big day! You get to meet your daddies!" Kagome cooed to the babies as she slung a diaper bag over her shoulder.  
  
It had been a month since the birth of the twins, and Kagome had decided it was time to talk to Miroku and Inu-Yasha. See, there was a bit of a catch in her plan. Originally, she had intended to have the baby (babies, in this case) and then try to figure out who the father is. She thought it would be rather obvious if the baby had a hole in its hand or silver hair and gold eyes.  
  
But Kagome never considered what to do if she came up with both…  
  
Walking out of the door of her house with a bag and a double baby carrier, she said good bye to her mother and went to the Bone-Eater's Well.  
  
Kagome used a pulley system to lower the baby carrier and bag down to the bottom of the well and then hopped down herself, grabbing her precious cargo just as the Shikon no Tama's power sent her back in time hundreds of years.  
  
Just as she had hoped, the ropes tied to her bag and the carrier were transported exactly as they were: tied to the edge of the well.  
  
After climbing out, Kagome pulled on the ropes, retrieving her daughters and their necessities.  
  
Breathing a sigh of relief, she took a moment to collect herself and be thankful her little experiment had worked.  
  
When she finally worked up her courage, Kagome set off in the direction of Kaede's village.  
  
Her palms, gripping the handle of the carrier containing her two sleeping children, sweated profusely. Nervously, she went over in her head what to say.  
  
"Hello, Inu-Yasha, I've got something to tell you… You're a father…"  
  
She couldn't even begin to guess what his reaction would be. Certainly, Kaede, Shippo, and Sango, would welcome her back with open arms. Miroku would probably be forgiving, too. Inu-Yasha was the wild card, the truly unpredictable one.  
  
And he was the one she cared most about.  
  
Kagome had done a lot of thinking over the time of her pregnancy and then when she returned home from the hospital. And all this contemplation had brought her to two conclusions.  
  
One: She was in love with Inu-Yasha. Plain and simple. She wanted him to be her husband, father to her children, hers exclusively forever…  
  
Two: The origin of her mismatched twins. How did one of her little girls end up the spitting image of Inu-Yasha and the other closely resembling Miroku, right down to the dog nose and the air void, respectively? Yes, Kagome had a theory about how her twins had two different fathers…  
  
Abruptly, Kagome came upon the small village, busy as ever. The streets were full of people, hurrying this way or that, pausing to browse at little shops, or slowly making their way to some unknown destination.  
  
Here, Kagome took another deep breath and breached the point of no return. She put on a big smile and stepped out of the forest.  
  
Immediately, she was spotted by a group of familiar villagers who whispered among themselves in wonder and gaped at what she was holding.  
  
"Is that Kagome-sama? What is she carrying? Are those her children in there?" they asked each other while smiling and greeting her cheerfully as she passed through the streets to Kaede's home.  
  
Kagome grinned and waved back politely, but she could hear the undercurrent of gossip, could see the wide eyes and astonished faces. She knew her absence would generate quite a bit of puzzlement, and her return would precipitate even more speculation, but she wasn't quite prepared for this. People with whom she had worked, people whose lives she had saved, they were all staring at her in scrutiny.  
  
Upon reaching the abode of her old friend, Kaede, Kagome paused again before knocking lightly on the door.  
  
"K-Kaede? It's me, Kagome. I came back…"  
  
But when the door was swung open, it was not Kaede standing there. Instead, Kagome was greeted by a young woman in her mid-twenties, with long, black hair tied back in a red ribbon. She wore red and white robes identical to those of Kaede and Kikyo and was on the short side; Kagome stood a full six inches taller.  
  
"Can I help you?" she asked, studying Kagome's strange clothes with curious brown eyes.  
  
"Uh… Isn't this Kaede's house?" Kagome stuttered.  
  
"Kaede? Oh! I knew it! You're Kagome, aren't you?" the woman exclaimed, smiling merrily.  
  
"Yes, I am, but how did you—"  
  
"I've heard so much about you! But I just moved here six months ago, so you wouldn't know me. Come in, please" she said, ushering Kagome inside.  
  
Hesitantly, Kagome entered the memorable house and noticed that it looked exactly the same as she remembered it—only with a new tenant, apparently.  
  
"Would you like some tea? I can boil some water," the woman offered, retrieving her tea leaf supply.  
  
"No, thanks," Kagome politely refused.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry I don't have much to give you by way of food and drink. I don't live a very luxurious life…" she apologized.  
  
"That's all right… Where's Kaede?" Kagome asked, suddenly remembering why she came.  
  
The woman froze then turned to face Kagome.  
  
"Oh… You mean you don't know?" she said softly.  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"Kaede's dead… She passed away about seven months ago, a little before I came here. Actually, I'm something of her replacement. Now I'm the village miko," the woman explained gently.  
  
"Kaede is… dead?"  
  
Kagome felt her strength drain from her body. If Kaede was gone, and Kagome was back in her own time, what was there left to keep Miroku, Shippo, Sango, and Inu-Yasha here?  
  
"What about Miroku? Sango? Shippo? Inu-Yasha?" she demanded urgently, grabbing the miko's robe with her free hand.  
  
"Calm yourself, Kagome-sama! I know nothing of the people you mentioned. Like I said, I only came here six months ago," the woman soother, trying to pry Kagome's iron grip off her robes.  
  
Kagome's hand went limp. She fell back against a nearby wall and slid down to a sitting position, placing her baby carrier next to her feet.  
  
"You don't know anything about Inu-Yasha?" she repeated absently.  
  
"Only the stories the villagers told me. And not many at that," the woman replied, seating herself on the floor across from Kagome.  
  
'Kaede's dead,' Kagome thought. 'Everyone else has gone off to who- knows-where. Inu-Yasha has disappeared. Will my children ever get to meet their fathers? Will I never get to tell Inu-Yasha how I feel?' 


	5. Third (and final) alternate ending

A/N: Yes, one more alternate ending. This is probably the most insane one yet. Goodness gracious, I'll probably get flames for this. ^_^ Just remember, this is humor, and it's fiction! Totally made up for the purpose of entertaining those with good senses of humor. So yeah, read, review, then vote on which of the three endings I should finish up. I think I'm out of new ideas, so this will be your last choice. Thanks so much to everyone who already reviewed, too! It means a lot to me, and it really boosts my ego! ^_^  
  
The shrill cry of an infant echoed throughout the maternity ward. Kagome, panting and gritting her teeth in pain, marveled at the first sight of her newborn… Well, that's right. She chose not to know the sex…  
  
"Ms. Higurashi, it's a boy!" the doctor announced, snipping the umbilical cord.  
  
Relieved, Kagome struggled to sit up and catch her first glimpse of her son.  
  
She saw the tiny body being measured and wrapped in a blanket. She marveled at his curl of dull brownish-red hair. Must be a recessive gene, she thought dismissively, her study of genetics returning to her.  
  
And then her wonder-filled eyes found the tail… The tail? She was pretty sure having a bushy, orange tail was in neither her nor Inu-Yasha's no Miroku's gene pool.  
  
Kagome was speechless as the nurse—just as bewildered as the patient herself—handed her the wailing infant.  
  
"C-congratulations, M-miss Higurashi…" the nurse stammered, backing slowly out of the room followed by the doctor who promised to return later to run some tests.  
  
At that moment, Kagome's mother rushed into the room, panting, and ran to her daughter.  
  
"I'm so sorry, dear! What an awful time for the six cups of coffee I've had today take their toll," she apologized, referring to her poorly timed emergency trip to the restroom.  
  
"So… It's a boy?" she asked, noting the blue color of the blanket.  
  
All Kagome could do was nod and continue rocking the child to sleep in her arms.  
  
"Well, there's no hole in his hand, so I suppose that rules out Miroku as the father… And that leaves…" she prompted gently.  
  
"No… Mom…" Kagome choked out, still shocked.  
  
Careful not to disturb the finally quiet child, Kagome unwound the blanket to display rust colored hair and a still gooey—but definitely fox- like—tail.  
  
Not seeing the problem on Kagome's mind at first, Mrs. Higurashi said, "Oh well, I guess it will be rather difficult to fit in at school, ne?"  
  
"Inu-Yasha doesn't have a tail," Kagome stated, having recovered her speech ability.  
  
"…Oh… Oh dear…" was the response. "Um, Kagome, just how many men have you slept with?!"  
  
"Only two, I swear!" I don't know how this happened! The only person I can think of that looks like this is…"  
  
Her eyes widened as she looked up at her mother.  
  
"No… It couldn't be…"  
  
Kagome hesitated at the edge of the well, straddling the wall in the early stages of jumping down.  
  
Three weeks after returning from the hospital with her son, Watage, Kagome was ready to go back to the Sengoku Jidai and talk to her friends.  
  
She hoisted her baby sling to a more secure position on her shoulders before proceeding to carefully climb down the well.  
  
Momentarily, she was overcome by the power of the Shikon no Tama and hurled hundreds of years into the past.  
  
Feeling déja vû, Kagome scaled the wall on the other side, glancing up at the lush green treetops overhead then back over her shoulder to the baby sling.  
  
The first sight to greet the girl before she had even emerged from the opening was the surprised face of Inu-Yasha, pressed right up to her own.  
  
With a startled yelp, Kagome lost her footing and felt her grip on the stone slipping.  
  
Luckily, before the fell, she was caught under the arms by a pair of muscular, clawed hands.  
  
"Kagome?" Inu-Yasha wondered aloud, lifting her easily and placing her on the grass.  
  
She blushed and said, "Hello, Inu-Yasha…"  
  
"Kagome?!" the hanyou repeated, still shocked.  
  
"Um, yeah, it's me. Look, I know it's been a while and we didn't exactly part on friendly terms…" she said, recalling the explosive argument when they last met, which resulted in Kagome running home in tears and never returning until now.  
  
"But, as you can see, I've had my baby, and—"  
  
She was cut off by a warm, red mass of cloth enveloping her body in an embrace. At first, she was shocked by Inu-Yasha's uncharacteristic open display of affection. But after a brief hesitation, she melted into his chest and returned his hug, thanking the heavens he wasn't still angry.  
  
"Where have you been, bitch? I ought to kill you here and now!" Inu- Yasha threatened, pulling away suddenly and leaving Kagome bright red and confused. He folded his arms across his chest and glared at her expectantly.  
  
Kagome couldn't help but smile, despite his pissed off expression.  
  
"Oh, Inu-Yasha, you haven't changed at all…"  
  
And she started off down the path to the village.  
  
It was then that Inu-Yasha noticed that she wasn't wearing her usual impossibly enormous backpack.  
  
"Oi, Kagome! What's that?" he called, not moving from his position by the well.  
  
"What? You mean this?" she asked, jerking her head in the direction of the sleeping baby.  
  
Inu-Yasha nodded dumbly, staring at the child. Kagome grinned.  
  
"Oh, it's my son. His name is Watage. Isn't he adorable?" she giggled, continuing her trek through the forest.  
  
"Watage?" he mumbled. "But Kagome! Why would you name your son 'Fur'?" he questioned.  
  
But Kagome just laughed off in the distance.  
  
'I'm so happy to be back,' she thought.  
  
* * *  
  
"Kaede! I'm back!" Kagome yelled, entering the woman's cottage.  
  
"Kagome?" came the reply, as a red-and-white clad elderly miko toddled into the main room.  
  
"Oh, 'tis Kagome, returned from the dead, it seems!" Kaede exclaimed, giving the girl a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Hi, Kaede! How are you?"  
  
"I'm fine, worry not about me. 'Tis you that concerns me. You are a new mother, are you not?" she inquired, nodding at the baby sling Kagome was removing from her back. Watage was just waking, rubbing his tiny, blue eyes and looking around the room in curiosity.  
  
"Ah! He is a handsome boy, Kagome! Congratulations!"  
  
"Um, Kaede? Do you know where everybody is? I was kinda hoping to talk to all of you at once…" Kagome asked.  
  
"Hm, well, Sango went to exterminate some demons at a nearby village. She left yesterday so she'll probably be back this afternoon. Miroku and Shippo are out gathering herbs for me. And Inu-Yasha is probably sitting in his branch of the Gods' Tree," Kaede answered.  
  
"Yeah, I know. I saw Inu-Yasha on my way here. Then he disappeared into the forest…" Kagome said, disappointed.  
  
"You know, Kagome, Inu-Yasha has spent practically every day sitting in that tree, only descending to eat and on occasion slay a demon," Kaede commented, playing with a giggling Watage.  
  
"Oh? Why would he do that?" she asked.  
  
"Waiting for you, of course," Kaede explained, as if it were common knowledge.  
  
"Waiting… for… me?" Kagome echoed, images of their embrace flashing across her mind's eye.  
  
"Yes, he been rather distant since you left," Kaede added, glancing up at her young friend.  
  
"Inu-Yasha…" Kagome mumbled wistfully.  
  
* * *  
  
With the speed of the gods, Inu-Yasha ran through the forest. Within minutes, he had reached the place Kaede had sent Shippo and Miroku to collect medicinal herbs.  
  
"Monk! You'd better get back to the village!" he shouted, coming to a stop in front of Miroku.  
  
"Oh? Why? What's going on?" he replied.  
  
"Kagome's back. And she's got a baby with her," Inu-Yasha explained impatiently.  
  
At that, Shippo's leaf-adorned head poked out from a bush at the hanyou's feet.  
  
"Kagome-chan's back? And she has a baby?!" he squealed. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"  
  
Shippo transformed into a large… creature with wings. What exactly it was, who knows? Miroku hopped on his back and all three men raced to the village.  
  
"Inu-Yasha! Do you know… I mean, did you see… Well did the child…" Miroku tried, but failed to form the question on his mind.  
  
"No, monk, I didn't get a good look at the child. But I don't think there was a Hell hole on its hand," Inu-Yasha gently answered the tacit inquiry.  
  
Soon they'd arrived at Kaede's home. Miroku jumped off Shippo and ran in the door, with Inu-Yasha on his heels, and Shippo right behind him.  
  
"Kagome!" all three cried at once.  
  
Kagome turned around to face the door from her seat on the floor.  
  
"Hi, boys!" She waved.  
  
"Kagome-chan!" Shippo shrieked, latching on to her shoulder.  
  
"Hello, Shippo," she greeted, although the little kitsune noticed her voice lacked its usual warmth when speaking to him.  
  
Miroku seated himself next to Kagome, studying the child, still in the baby sling, sitting in her lap. He was relieved to find that Inu-Yasha was right; both hands were whole and ordinary.  
  
"Kagome-sama…" he breathed, reaching out to stroke the few curls of silky soft hair atop the baby's head.  
  
Before anyone could say anything else, Sango strode in the open door. Her face lit up when she saw Kagome and immediately rushed to give her a hug.  
  
"Kagome-chan! How nice to see you're back again! And with your baby! Awwwwww, he's so cute!" she squealed.  
  
Kaede cleared her throat.  
  
"Now that we are all together, is it not a good time to discuss the matter of the father, Kagome?" she suggested.  
  
"Oh, right…" But she made no move to speak further.  
  
"So… can you tell who the father is?" Sango encouraged.  
  
"Well, yes and no…"  
  
"What do you mean?" Miroku asked.  
  
"I can tell who isn't the father, but therein lies the problem…"  
  
"Stupid wench! Just tell us everything, bitch!" Inu-Yasha snarled, sitting down directly in front of her and leaning forward.  
  
Silently, Kagome lifted Watage from the baby sling, revealing his furry, brown tail. Everyone in the room gasped.  
  
"Kagome! Your baby has a tail!" Sango observed.  
  
"I suppose that means he isn't mine…" Miroku stated, half relieved, half heartbroken.  
  
"Not unless you have a tail you've been hiding from us all this time," Inu-Yasha snorted.  
  
"Well, you don't have a tail either, Inu-Yasha!" Miroku retorted.  
  
Sango's eyes widened.  
  
"If he's not Miroku's… and he's not Inu-Yasha's… Kagome, whose baby did you give birth to?" she inquired.  
  
"That's just the thing. I don't know! I mean, I only, erm, went to bed with Miroku and Inu-Yasha," Kagome reasoned, blushing along with her two mentioned lovers.  
  
"This is a fine mystery," Kaede declared.  
  
They all sat in contemplative silence for a moment. Then Sango broke it.  
  
"You know, Watage kind of looks like… Shippo!"  
  
Miroku choked, Inu-Yasha snorted again, and Kagome turned huge eyes on the trembling little kistune.  
  
"Shippo? But… that's not possible! He's only a little pup!" Inu-Yasha argued.  
  
"Actually, Sango, that's what I thought at first…" Kagome remarked.  
  
"But Shippo? That's absurd! Like Inu-Yasha mentioned, he is but a child! Surely, you don't think…" Miroku trailed off, gazing at the fox- boy's guilty face.  
  
All of a sudden, Shippo burst into tears.  
  
"WAAAAH! This wasn't supposed to happen! You weren't supposed to know, Kagome-chan!" he wailed.  
  
"Oh my god! Shippo, are you saying—" Sango cried.  
  
"Yes, it's true! I'm the father of that baby. I'm sorry, it was only meant to be fun! I was curious about this 'sex' thing you humans seem to be so obsessed with! I never thought that I would actually get you pregnant!" he confessed.  
  
"But how…? When…? I only remember sleeping with those two," Kagome maintained.  
  
Sniffling, Shippo elaborated, "Well, um, you know the night you slept with Inu-Yasha? You know how you did it once at night then again later on?"  
  
"Kagome-sama, you did it twice with that dog and only once with me?" Miroku asked indignantly.  
  
Blushing furiously, Kagome muttered, "I was drunk… Really drunk…"  
  
"That second time was actually me disguised as Inu-Yasha… I'm sorry, Kagome-chan!" Shippo apologized profusely, clinging to Kagome's arm.  
  
"I'm going to kill you, you little brat! You dare pretend to be me and sleep with my woman? I'll—" Inu-Yasha froze, mid-sentence and mid- lunge, realizing exactly what he'd just said.  
  
"Your woman?" Kagome repeated icily.  
  
"Uh… Um… That's not what I meant!"  
  
"Who ever said I was YOUR woman?" she yelled, rising to her feet.  
  
"Kagome, wait!" Inu-Yasha tried to pull on her long skirt as she stormed off, turning back by the door.  
  
"Shippo, I can't believe you'd do something like that! Not only to me, but to Inu-Yasha, too. And now what are you going to do? You're only a child, how can you be a father? What were you THINKING?  
  
"And you, Inu-Yasha! What's your problem?! Last time I was here, you'd barely speak to me, save cursing and yelling at me for being a 'stupid whore'! And now that I've come back, you suddenly think I'm YOURS? You never asked me or even showed the slightest care about me, so why now, you JERK?  
  
"Oh, and Miroku, don't be so shocked I didn't screw you twice. You weren't that good. Yeah, compared to Inu-Yasha and Shippo—that's a dog- demon and a little kid!—sleeping with you was like just plain old sleeping! Way to kick off my sex life!"  
  
Kagome finished her raging rant and stomped out of the door, headed for the Bone Eater's Well.  
  
Her friends could do nothing but sit and stare at the place where she had just stood. They were all stupefied by Kagome's out of character wrath.  
  
Kaede merely shook her head sorrowfully.  
  
"Oh my…"  
  
A/N: So? Whaddya think? Am I insane or what? ~_^ One note on the names: I know I already said that Watage means 'fur', but back in the last chapter, I forgot to mention the meanings. Shiraga (Inu-Yasha's daughter) means 'white hair' and Sora (Miroku's daughter) means 'sky.' Anyway, please try to be gentle when flaming me. I'm fair-skinned, I burn easily. ;_; 


End file.
